Page 28 of Mustang Summer

As she pulled way, there was no farmer in her review mirror.He’d turned back to help Dillon.By the time she’d turned onto the gravel road, Dillon had climbed out of the tractor, no doubt to gather every detail.

She blew out a breath.What an emotional few days.

Her phone rang.Mr.Blackwell.

She answered and he broke right in.“I’ve made my decision, Miss Alvarez.You can buy the Shelby, but I ain’t dealing.It’s the price I set, or nothing.”

She briefly closed her eyes, tempted to pull over so she could keep them closed and rub her temples.

“It’s a deal.Thank you, Mr.Blackwell.I’ll call as soon as I can make it down to pick it up.”

After she hung up, her guilt bloomed.Her dad was going to flip that car so fast, the paint would barely dry before the check was in Bill’s hands.Sentiment was not an issue for him.

The stories Mr.Blackwell had shared plagued her all the way home.She should just tell Bill that she never got a call, Mr.Blackwell must not have been impressed.But the older man had had his time with the car, his wife was gone, while her dad was here and in financial trouble.

Chapter6

After Josie got home, she couldn’t bring herself to tell him about the Shelby yet.To stall, she told her dad she hadn’t heard from Mr.Blackwell and went to her room.Her neighbor called and asked her to watch her older kids again for a few hours in the morning while she took little Mason to the doctor.She always told Penny not to pay her, but the woman never listened.That money would go to Josie’s travel fund.

Since the kids always wore her out more than overhauling an engine, she went to bed.

The next morning dawned gray and dreary.A perfect day to watch kids, then work on the books and see if she could come up with a business plan to get them through the rest of the year.

She raced through her morning routine.By the time she got downstairs, Bill was leaving.

“Hey, Bill.Mind if I come by later this afternoon?I’m watching Penny’s kids again.”

“That little guy sick again, huh?Not surprised.He’s a little different.”

“Bill!”

“What?He is.Three years old and doesn’t talk, doesn’t even wave at you.Yeah, take the morning off.”He shrugged and slipped out the door.

Josie dug through her movies.The kids liked watching her old fairytale shows from when she was a kid.

The doorbell rang and Josie rushed to answer.As soon as the door opened, Tayton and Payton pushed in.

“Kids!”Penny’s exasperated shout followed.

Josie shrugged to ease Penny’s mind.“No worries.I already have movies ready to hit play.”

Penny gave her a worn-out smile.Mason’s screams could be heard from the car.“Are you sure this is okay?I might be gone three hours, but at least we should have some answers.”

“Oh?He’s not…” How should she finish that?Sick?Well?Really, why doesn’t he talk?

Patty released another gusty breath.“I think we finally found a doctor who can help us."

Josie settled with, “I hope everything’s okay.”

The smile was back in place, but with a little more optimism.“It will be.Once we learn how his brain works.Thanks, again, Josie.”

Oh…so, not sick.Mason not talking was really an issue.Josie wished her the best and shut the door.While the kids watched TV, she whipped up a batch of muffins and noted all the grocery items she’d need to purchase.She added going through her coupon apps and grocery store ads to her to-do list for the day.

As she ate, she stared out the window.The place was so quiet since her mom had passed, it was nice to hear the scuttle of kids, even if they were bickering half the time.Bill spent almost no time at home anymore.He came to sleep—if he slept at home at all.

She shuddered.She and Jesse had been joking about who her stepmother would become.Any woman who settled for Bill deserved Josie’s pity, not resentment.Loving her dad didn’t make her blind to his faults and he had many in the significant-other arena.Her mom had worked to make him happy, but Josie remembered all too well her mother’s tears when Bill came home in the middle of the night.

Poor Mom.She would’ve watched Penny’s kids morning, noon, and night.

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